A method for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes placing a substructure on an inner surface of a skin that is laid up on a shaping surface of a tool configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The method further includes applying at least one insulation layer over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and applying a vacuum bag to at least partly enclose the skin and the substructure. The method yet still further includes applying heat to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.

A core mould element can be mounted between first and second mould parts. The first and second mould parts and the core mould element can be mounted between first and second thermal platens. The thermal platens can have generally planar faces for mounting in a press, for maintaining a desired pressure within the mould assembly. The thermal platens can provide for heating and cooling the mould assembly, and each can include a central portion and end portions, with thermal breaks between the central portion and the end portions. Bores can extend through the central and end portions, for receiving heating elements and pipes for cooling fluid. The end portions can include bores for a cooling fluid for cooling the end portions.

A core mould element can be mounted between first and second mould parts. The first and second mould parts and the core mould element can be mounted between first and second thermal platens. The thermal platens can have generally planar faces for mounting in a press, for maintaining a desired pressure within the mould assembly. The thermal platens can provide for heating and cooling the mould assembly, and each can include a central portion and end portions, with thermal breaks between the central portion and the end portions. Bores can extend through the central and end portions, for receiving heating elements and pipes for cooling fluid. The end portions can include bores for a cooling fluid for cooling the end portions.

A method of designing a cooling circuit inside a mold that includes therein the cooling circuit that passes through an inlet and an outlet includes a control plane setting step, a reference plane setting step, an intersection line extraction step, and a circuit setting step. The control plane setting step sets a control plane that is perpendicular to the mold surface on the side which comes in contact with a material and that passes through the inlet and the outlet. The reference plane setting step sets a reference plane that is offset by a fixed distance from the mold surface to the inside of the mold. In the intersection line extraction step, an intersection line at which the control plane and the reference plane intersect is extracted. In the circuit setting step, the cooling circuit is set inside the mold along the intersection line.

A method of designing a cooling circuit inside a mold that includes therein the cooling circuit that passes through an inlet and an outlet includes a control plane setting step, a reference plane setting step, an intersection line extraction step, and a circuit setting step. The control plane setting step sets a control plane that is perpendicular to the mold surface on the side which comes in contact with a material and that passes through the inlet and the outlet. The reference plane setting step sets a reference plane that is offset by a fixed distance from the mold surface to the inside of the mold. In the intersection line extraction step, an intersection line at which the control plane and the reference plane intersect is extracted. In the circuit setting step, the cooling circuit is set inside the mold along the intersection line.

The present invention provides an imprint apparatus including a holding member configured to hold the mold, a spring member configured to connect the holding member to a base unit that supports the holding member, a driving unit provided between the holding member and the base unit and configured to drive the holding member in a vertical direction with respect to the base unit, and a regulating surface configured to regulate, in a vertical range in which the holding member is driven by the driving unit, a driving end on a side that is towards the base unit, wherein the driving unit performs a driving for pressing the holding member against the regulating surface, and in the driving, generates heat while pressing the holding member against the regulating surface.

The present invention provides an imprint apparatus including a holding member configured to hold the mold, a spring member configured to connect the holding member to a base unit that supports the holding member, a driving unit provided between the holding member and the base unit and configured to drive the holding member in a vertical direction with respect to the base unit, and a regulating surface configured to regulate, in a vertical range in which the holding member is driven by the driving unit, a driving end on a side that is towards the base unit, wherein the driving unit performs a driving for pressing the holding member against the regulating surface, and in the driving, generates heat while pressing the holding member against the regulating surface.

The invention relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a pipe shell from an insulating material by means of which the cycle times can be further reduced while the quality of the pipe shell is simultaneously improved, by at least one web (29) of the insulating material which is provided with a binding agent being wound around a core (19) by means of at least two opposing belts (12, 13) which wrap around the core (19) partially. The method steps are characterized in that the at least one wound-up web (32) of insulating material is removed in a radial direction of the core (19) which is, however, not opposite to the direction in which the at least one web (29) of insulating material was fed by the one belt (12), especially by the wound-up web (32) being discharged through the same belt (12).

A mold cooling structure according to the present disclosure includes a first refrigerant flow channel through which a first refrigerant for cooling a mold flows; and a second refrigerant flow channel through which a second refrigerant for cooling the first refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant flow channel flows. Further, the second refrigerant flow channel extends along the first refrigerant flow channel. Furthermore, mutual heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant is performable.

A mold cooling structure according to the present disclosure includes a first refrigerant flow channel through which a first refrigerant for cooling a mold flows; and a second refrigerant flow channel through which a second refrigerant for cooling the first refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant flow channel flows. Further, the second refrigerant flow channel extends along the first refrigerant flow channel. Furthermore, mutual heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant is performable.